And an e-mail sent from one of the committee members to the City Council advocating for similar adjustments, despite him joining in the unanimous recommendations, sparked political outcry at City Hall.
None of that has transpired this time around.
“Given the current economic situation, I think [to lobby for more money] would just be bad [public relations],” said Zareh Amirian, chairman of the advisory committee. “I think everyone understands these organizations need the money at nearly the same level as other organizations.”
The 16 programs in the running for funding include PATH Achieve Glendale, the Armenian Relief Society, the Housing Rights Center and the Glendale Youth Alliance among others.
Nonprofit agencies, up against a bleak fundraising environment, have been struggling to cover operating expenses, let alone keep up with increased demand for services from residents who have fallen prey to the recession.
Competition for the limited amount of grant money from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development was shaping up to be even more brutal than last year until several regularly funded nonprofits announced they would not compete, freeing up more dollars for other more “desperate” organizations.
Their exit allowed the advisory committee to actually increase the recommended funding levels for nine of the 10 community programs that re-applied for this year. The other six applicants are city-run programs.
Still, with more than $1 million in requests, some applicants were left empty-handed.
